Dema Kovalenko - Citizenship?

[voros]

Anyone have any news or info on Dema's progress to becoming a U.S. Citizen?

I realize he's not one of the more popular players with fans, particularly down Dallas way, but it seems to me that his emergence as a D-Mid for Hudson has really helped DC United keep their season together.

That he appears to be certifiable is not in question, but at the D-Mid position, he appears to be one of the few with the ability to contribute some offensive firepower.

Any ideas on his citizenship progress and whether he'd be a useful callup?

[Scotty]

He should only be utilized for the Mexico games, when he can break as many legs as he wants.

[Sandon Mibut]

It's not one of the things we like to admit, but all teams, but especially the US, could use a player like Dema.

Too often we have soft players or we have players that tighten up or get intimidated by hostile environments. Dema will do neither.

He may not be a player I want to take to Germany but he damn sure is player I want to take on the road to San Jose (Costa Rica, not Cali.), Kingston, Mexico City, San Salvador, Mazatenango or San Pedro Sula.

He's just not afraid and you need that in qualifying. He'll also protect the other players and you need that, too.

Further, for all his rep - much of it deserved - for being a thug or a hard player, Dema actually has a lot of skill. He is a good passer and has a great shot from distance and, unlike a lot of our players, he's not afraid - that word again - to shoot from distance.

He's also versatile, capable of playing either MF flank, D-mid, attacking mid AND forward. As I've said about other players, with an 18-man roster, you want your subs to be versatile.

I don't know anything about Dema's immediate citizenship. According to this MLS release, http://www.mlsnet.com/content/01/chi1130kovalenko.html , he got his Green Card Nov. 30, 2001 so he is presumably fairly far along in the citizenship process.

It probably won't happen before the first round of qualifyin but hopefully it happens no later than the Hex. And, once he gets sworn in, I think he should get a call-up.

[Martin Fischer]

Who cares. Really!

[Spartak]

The way Ukraine has been playing and thier severe lack of any quality midfielders I'm surprised they haven't tried to cap Dema.

[Fah Que]

He gets a yellow card almost every game he plays.

I prefer our national team to finish with no less than 11 men every game.

[whip]

Originally posted by voros
Anyone have any news or info on Dema's progress to becoming a U.S. Citizen?

I realize he's not one of the more popular players with fans, particularly down Dallas way, but it seems to me that his emergence as a D-Mid for Hudson has really helped DC United keep their season together.

That he appears to be certifiable is not in question, but at the D-Mid position, he appears to be one of the few with the ability to contribute some offensive firepower.

Any ideas on his citizenship progress and whether he'd be a useful callup?

Why, why, why,?? Are you a foreing trying to corrupt our national soccer team with FOREING SOCCER PLAYERS ?? what about MEMO GONZALEZ born and raise on the USA with ball and guts to defend his country, do you thing a foreing born player is gona play like the real thing ???

[Treetaliano]

Originally posted by whip
Why, why, why,?? Are you a foreing trying to corrupt our national soccer team with FOREING SOCCER PLAYERS ?? what about MEMO GONZALEZ born and raise on the USA with ball and guts to defend his country, do you thing a foreing born player is gona play like the real thing ???

So I guess when Freddy Adu plays for us, you are against that too, eh?

Once Dema gets his citizenship, he'll be no less of an American than you or me or David Regis.

[alex161]

Originally posted by Fah Que
He gets a yellow card almost every game he plays.

I prefer our national team to finish with no less than 11 men every game.

So far this season: 5 cards in 24 games, 1 ejection.
http://www.mlsnet.com/library/standings/tmstat.php?squad=dc&conf=east&scope=rs&yr=2003&context=stat

[ursula]

Well it will be interesting when Dema the Demolition man gets his citizenship. As stated above, although he plays hard, he doesn't really get many cards. Since Bradley coached him for years, and Arena has seen him often this year (while attending games at RFK) he is well known by our brain trust. He's DCU's MVP this year, hands down (though Olsen was gaining on him before the MCL). Could he be our next ABMOD? One thing though- he is no good on the wing; he's a central mid only.

[purojogo]

Originally posted by Scotty
He should only be utilized for the Mexico games, when he can break as many legs as he wants.
Considering how few "quality" players Mexico produces, my guess is that after 2 players get their legs broken Dema will be accused of destroying a whole generation of Mexican futbol. Not that it'd be a bad thing....

Seriously though, i think Mastroeni, Clark, and (no joke) Armas will fill in the role of DM quite alright and will do so for the next few years.....

[sch2383]

Dema does have that intensity (or insanity, depending on how you look at it) that you need to do well. He is one of those players who you love if he is on your team and hate if he is on the other guys team.

[voros]

Originally posted by purojogo
Considering how few "quality" players Mexico produces, my guess is that after 2 players get their legs broken Dema will be accused of destroying a whole generation of Mexican futbol. Not that it'd be a bad thing....

Seriously though, i think Mastroeni, Clark, and (no joke) Armas will fill in the role of DM quite alright and will do so for the next few years.....
Well Kovalenko's outplayed Armas and Mastroeni this year in MLS and Clark's been playing mostly on the right.

Thing is that Kovalenko has _some_ attacking ability. Armas has none. Even when Armas is at the top of his game, he has none. Plus Father Time is not on Armas' side.

Mastroeni has spent the whole year trying to find his WC2002 form.

Clark obviously has a lot of talent and likely will be in the picture before long.

At this point I'd probably put Kovalenko in the 2003 MLS First XI at the D-Mid slot.

[clashcityrocker]

Originally posted by ursula
...Could he be our next ABMOD? ...
I think he'd need a better nickname than that. 'Ankle Biting Midget of Death' makes me think of a little barky dog. Dema's likely to bite your fricking leg clean off.

[jamison]

Ankle breaking merchant of destruction, then?

[whip]

Originally posted by Treetaliano
So I guess when Freddy Adu plays for us, you are against that too, eh?

Once Dema gets his citizenship, he'll be no less of an American than you or me or David Regis.

I do not really go for none, I rather lose all games but with the real thing, about Regis and some of the others, you could easily see what I am talking about. No balls, they do not care.....

[sch2383]

Originally posted by ursula
Could he be our next ABMOD?

Dema is 5'8, 160, so I would go with jamison's "Ankle breaking merchant of destruction".

[ChrisE]

Originally posted by jamison
Ankle breaking merchant of destruction, then?

Dema's really more of a leg man.

[tacos]

Originally posted by whip
I do not really go for none, I rather lose all games but with the real thing, about Regis and some of the others, you could easily see what I am talking about. No balls, they do not care.....

Are you an English teacher?

[Hedbal]

Don't slot Dema as only a D-Mid candidate for the USMNT. He's playing that position for DC United because Hudson thought he was the best of the post-Ritchie Williams candidates on the roster, but he is a ferocious attacker as well as a ferocious defender - let's face it, he's just plain ferocious. He goes all out for the full 90, front to back and side to side.